The Sundering Worlds

Salted Vestments

Session 12

22

MAR/17

With the prompt dispatching of their martial foe, Corvus, Elzalath and Pekeporo set out for Leilon. Upon reaching the bustling borough, they made their way to the docks to seek passage south. After some guidance, they found Wick, Captain of the Lost Mermaid. He agreed to provide passage to Waterdeep despite his hesitation with boarding a drow.

The first days of the voyage passed without incident. The adventurers passed the time in their cabin until Captain Wick paid them a visit. As a merchant, he hoped to enlist their help through the dangerous voyage past the Mere of Dead Men. They agreed to provide assistance on the voyage as a basis for developing an ally on the seas.

On the third day, Pekeporo was sitting in the crow’s nest in the middle of the night. On the deck below, K’ot’s ears suddenly perked toward the stern, so Peke looked carefully at a rising wave. Almost too late, he realized a terror from the deep was upon them. As he sounded the alarm, Peke thrust an entanglement spell, but the beast was too elusive to be bound. Captain Wick, his first mate, Elzalath and Corvus emerged from their quarters as massive tentacles emerged from the depths, surrounding the vessel.

From learning an ancient legend of a master crippling his wayward pupil by gaining the higher ground, Corvus bounded up into the crow’s nest. Elzalath recognized the potency of their foe and quickly tagged it with her Hunter’s Mark before slicing into one of its tentacles with her Divine Smite-enflamed rapier. The beast retaliated by spraying the entire boat in a disgusting ooze. Corvus and Peke shook it off, but something evil in the vile sludge penetrated Elzalath’s psyche. Then the beast brought its tentacles down on the ship, blasting Elzalath against the deck.

Corvus and Elzalath unleashed flurries of arrows at the writhing tentacles as K’ot did her best to rend flesh from them. Peke despaired at the seemingly impossible task of felling such a creature through mere damage to extremities. He steeled his nerves, having grown up in a land-locked woods after all, and leapt from the crow’s nest toward the water. As he plummeted, he transformed into a giant squid, plunged into the icy depths and propelled himself at the bulk of his foe. After pummeling the beast with his freshly sprouted tentacles, he wrapped it up in a giant squid hug. As the boat glided off into the night, Peke took comfort in knowing his companions were safe for the time being.

Simultaneous to this relief was the dreadful realization that he was now single-handedly combatting an aboleth. Thanks to his uncle’s tales, Peke knew the potential for this beast to destroy not only his body, but his mind as well.

“Perhaps if I speed to shore, the aboleth will chase me in an attempt to gain vengeance for removing it from its quarry. Then I can make my way south on land to rejoin my companions.”

As Peke swam for shore, his best laid plans were immediately undermined by the aboleth’s determined and renewed pursuit of the Lost Mermaid. The aboleth swam with such speed and fury just below the surface, that a wave rose in front of him. Fortunately, the heroes on the boat did not view their reprieve from battle as an excuse for complacency. Elzalath spotted the approach from a distance and pulled her holy talisman from her cloak. As she bellowed her divine utterances, the token shone brilliantly and blasted the unholy creature in its pursuit. Suddenly, the wave died. The aboleth continued pursuit, but its pace was greatly reduced.

Peke built all the squid speed he could muster to catch up to the aboleth. He leapt from the water, transformed back into his natural form and blasted a wave of thunder from his fingertips as he skimmed across the surface of the water. The aboleth maneuvered around much of the wave, but the spell still took its toll. As he lost momentum, Peke transformed back into a giant squid and slid under the surface.

Corvus jumped on the opportunity to shoot the aboleth in the face with some arrows. His shots flew true and buried deep in the meat of the beast. The creature retaliated by slamming the ship again, this time destroying the crow’s nest. Fortunately, Corvus anticipated the blast and majestically dove at and clung to a hand-hold high above the ship. Once again, Peke pounded the aboleth with his tentacles and restrained it from further movement. Elzalath spotted its eye amidst the writhing tentacles and released the death blow. As sickening lifeblood poured into the sea from its eye, the aboleth’s corpse sunk down to the murky depths.

The journey to Waterdeep continued without further disruption. Upon arrival, Captain Wick offered the adventurers any favors they needed, recognizing the lifedebt he owed these three. He agreed to transport them to the Moon Isles, but he needed two days to repair the damage the aboleth had dealt the Lost Mermaid. The trio headed into Waterdeep to kill some time and ready themselves for the next stage in their adventure.

What dangers lie ahead at the Moon Isles for our heroes? What adventures will emerge in Waterdeep? What is the Jade Emperor doing while he waits for them to arrive? Sniffing buttholes? He’s probably sniffing buttholes. Tune in next time to find out!